Electric heating element



Z4, 939 .1. A. CASTRICONE 7,476 Y ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENT Filed Dec.19. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inszznrma.

" a 7 ,g I

I m-2" 31 v BY. 4% m4,

Art: 5.

' .1. A. cAs'rmcoNE ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENT Filed Dec. 19, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IHYER': DE.

.Z-LTTYE- I Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNIT ED STATES 2,177,476 l ELECTRICHEATING ELEMENT John A. Castricone, Peoria, Ill.

ApplicationDecember 19, 1936, Serial No. 116,755

4 Claims.-

This invention relates to domestic ironing machines and particularly tothe shoe or the means of heating the shoe for such machines.

The particular object of the invention is to provide a heating elementcontaining two sep- 1 arate circuits, one for each end of the shoearranged in such a manner as to permit effective heating of either endof the shoe as selected and further and most important, to provide foreffective, uniform heating of the entire shoe when both circuits of theheating element are in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for heatingdomestic ironing machine shoes including multiple resistance unitsarranged in such a manner as to permit efiective heating of any portionof the shoe as selected and further to provide for effective uniformheating of the entire shoe when desired.

Referring now to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a roll type ironer utilizing my dualcircuit heating element shown in dotted outline in its position relativeto the roll.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section elevation view on the section lines22, Fig. 1 showing the relation between the shoe, heating element andthe roll.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of my dual circuit heating elementshowing the dual circuits in dotted outline with arrows indicating thecurrent flow, through the elements.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental plan view of the center section of myheating element showing the mica and asbestos covering broken away overthe central section of the resistance units and disclosing staggeredabutment of theresistance ribbons.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view in elevation taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3showing first the terminal connectors of the resistance ribbons, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental section of the lower portion of theheating element in perspective taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing theresistance ribbon between sheets of mica covered by a sheet of asbestos,the micav and asbestos being stitched together around the resistanceribbon.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 2, the numeral l0 indicates the cabinetsupport of the ironer proper. The numeral H indicates gear headmechanism which drives the padded roll I 2.

The numeral l3 indicates the shoe shown in relationship with the roll.

The roll I4 is a hollow cylindrical tube member about which is appliedthe absorbent padding l5.

The heating element I6 is clamped securely to the back of the shoe l3 bymeans of theclamp plate I! and a series of clamp stud bolts 18 and theback of the shoe is finished by the shoe cover l9 which completelyenvelopes the heating element, clamp plates and stud bolts.

The pressure arm 20 is attached to the pressure shaft 2| whereby whenthe shaft 2! is rotated, the pressure arm 20 actuates the shoe 43 intoor out of ironing relationship with the padded roll I5. The lever 22 isa safety device to release the shoe from the roll should such necessityarise.

Now referring to Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the numerals 23 and 24 show ribbontype resistance units which are made of a special chrome alloy steel forthis particular purpose.

Fig. 4 clearly illustrates and shows how these resistance units abuteach other in a staggered or biased manner, the straight sections of theribbons being connected by biased connectors 23 and 24'. The other endsof the resistor units have terminals 25 to which the lead wires of theelectrical circuit are attached.

The flow of the current through the resistor units is clearlyillustrated by the dotted arrows in Fig. 3. Circular openings 26 areprovided in the element to provide openings for the clamp studs l8.

Referring to Fig. 6, the resistor units 23 and 24 are shown betweensheets of mica 21 and 28 with a sheet of asbestos 29 over the top sheetof mica. This entire assembly is held together bystitching 30 wherebythe entire heating element' composed of dual resistor units is securelheld together as a unit.

Having thus described the parts in their relation to each other, I willnow describe their functions:

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the complete roll I! is rotated by themechanism in the head H. The shoe I3 is forced into and out of pressurerelationship with the beading I5 by rotation of the pressure shaft 2|and the pressure arm 20.

Attention is directed to the cross sectional area and the volume of thebeading l5 in relation to the cross section and area of the shoe I3.

Obviously a large volume of padding is necessary to absorb the moisturedriven out of the damp clothing by the shoe l3 as the roll revolves.

This is quite necessary because ironing actually is the process ofremoving moisture from cloth as the cloth is held in the desiredposition.

Now after observing the large volume of padding and large moistureabsorption capacity, carefully compare the volume of metal in the shoeI3 and consider its heat storage capacity. It will readily beappreciated that the heat storage capacity of the shoe is relativelysmall as compared to the heat absorption and dissipation capacity of theclothing and the roll.

Therefore, to maintain constant uniform heat in the shoe, the heatingelement must continually and uniformly supply this heat.

It will be appreciated that the rotation. of the roll against the shoewipes the shoe across the short cross section as shown in Fig. .2.Naturally this action removes heat from the shoe in a similar manner,that is, across the short cross section of the shoe.

Therefore, if the dual circuits were formed square on their ends andabutted squarely necessarily leaving an opening between the circuits,that section of a shoe unheated by the gap would become cooled underheavy ironing and a cold spot on the shoe would develop. By means of thestaggered arrangement of the elements, this objection is eliminated andmore uniform heating of the shoe is accomplished.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention. Obviously otherarrangements utilizing the same idea are possible. I do not desire to belimited to the structure shown except as shown by my claims.

I now claim as new:

1. In a shoe for a domestic roll ironer, the combination of a formedmetal smoothing iron, 9. multiple circuit heating unit clamped to theback of said smoothing iron, said unit including resistance elementsdisposed end to end adjacent to one another in line along the length ofthe shoe, the ends of adjacent elements being staggered to overlapheating areas in the direction of the length of the shoe whereby thesmoothing iron may be heated either in halves or in a.

continuous manner throughout its length, and a shoe cover enclosing saidheating elements.

2. In a' shoe for a domestic roll ironer, the combination of a formedmetal smoothing iron, 9. multiple circuit heating unit secured to theback of said smoothing iron, said unit having at least two adjacent andsubstantially end to end abutting resistance elements, .each elementsubstantially abutting the other element diagonally of the shoe wherebythe smoothing iron may be heated either in halves or in a substantiallycontinuous manner throughout the length of the smoothing iron, and ashoe cover enclosing said heating elements.

3. In a shoe for a domestic roll ironer, the combination of a formedmetal smoothing iron, a multiple circuit heating unit secured to theback of said smoothing iron, said unit having at least two adjacent andsubstantially end to end abutting resistance elements, each elementsubstantially abutting the other element diagonally of the shoe wherebythe smoothing iron may be heated either in halves or in a substantiallycontinuous manner throughout the length of the smoothing iron. I

4. In a shoe for a domestic roll ironer, a formed metal smoothing ironextending the full length of the roll, dual circuit heating elementseach adapted to heat one-half lengthwise of the shoe, each elementabutting the other element diagonally of thecenter of the shoe so as toprovide practically continuous equal distribution of heat crosswise ofthe shoe, and means to clamp said dual elements securely to the back ofthe shoe.

JOHN A. CASTRICONE.

